Method of effecting solution of substances and removing coatings from bodies



Patented Nov. 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATEANT OFFICE.

VICTOR LENHER, OF MADISON, WISCK HVSIN.

METHOD OF EFFECTING SOLUTION'OF SUBSTANCES AND REMOVING COATINGS FROM j BODIES.

Ho drawing. Original application filed January 7, 1921, Serial No. 435,730. Divided and this application filed Novgmber 28, 1921. Serial No.-518,439.

To all whom it may Be 1t known that I, Vroron LENHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at 158 6 Dame and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Effecting Solution of Substances and Re-' movin Coatings from Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates particularly to a method of effecting solution' of non-- metallic substances or compounds which are either insoluble in or highly resistant to the action of the solvents which are commer- 15 cially known. The invention is based upon the discove by me that selenium oxychloride (SeOC l with other substance or substances, will i readily dissolve manysubstances.

The present application constitutes a divi sion of application Serial No. 435,730, filed January 7 1921, which is itself a, division of applicationNo. 401,218, filedAugust 4,1920. The present divisional application relates 25 more particularly to the action of a solvent compnsmg'selemum oxychloride on substances containing hydrocarbons, or compounds of carbon. and hydrogen.

I have discovered a practicable process of 8 producing selenium oxychloride on a com-' mercial scale, and having produced the compound in considerable quantities, I have demonstrated that it possesses such re-- markable properties as a solvent that it may 8 be put to many useful applications. It may be used as a solvent for numeroussubstances A or compounds for'which no known solvent exists, and it may be mixed or compounded with other active compounds having the effeet of increasing its range as a solvent, thus rendering it possible to dissolve readily substances or compounds which selenium oxychloride alone will 'not dissolve or'will dis solve only with difiiculty. Uses. for thenew compound too numerous to mention are contemplated by me. Novel methods-'ofp'ro- 'd'ucing or recovering certain substances, in-

' volving the use of'selenium oxychloride or.

compounds thereof are contemplated by me.

Various uses -may be made of' the com-v pound some of which willbe hereafter suggested. q I

' either alone-or compounded- The production of a novel compound whlch Wlll act as a solvent for certain substances or compounds for which the selenium Summit Avenue, Madlson, in the county of oxychloride itself will not serve -has been mentioned. As an illustration, SeOCl 'may be used to dissolve such active compounds as sulphur tri'oxide (S0 thus producing a new compound which will serve as a solvent solvents and not attacked by SeO 1-,, itself. Again, such compounding produces a more active solvent forsome' purposes, i. e., a solvent which Will act more quickly than seleniumoxyohloride alone; The proportions may vary within quite wide range. As an example, an excellent solvent is produced by dissolving 10 parts by weight of SO in 90 parts by weight of SeOCl,. This produces various materials, including certain oxides, for example, titanium oxide (TiO vanadium oxide V 0 and colu'mbium pentoxide (Cb flo This indicates the separation of metals from ores b new processes.

ate the solvent action of selenium oxychloride for certain purposes. This may be done, for .example, by mixing with a quantity of the oxychloride a quantity of some substance diluent. For example, one may mix pounds of selenium oxchloride' with 75 pounds of carbon tetrac oride, thus producing a mild form of solvent which-may be employed, in general, where a mild solution is desired as a solvent or reagent. The mixture of selenium oxychloride with such a substance'may be made of any desired p'ropor-. tions, according to the use or purpose intended.

In general, the non-metals are attacked or dissolved by selenium oxychloride and by selenium oxychloride com ounded with an active substance which wil enhance the solvent action or increase the range of solvent action of selenium oxychloride. Among the substances which may be thus dissolved there ma be given as examples selenium,

e0 for other substances-not attacked b known It maybe necessary or esirable to moder which is not an active substance, or which; is less active and which will thus act as a sulphur,- iodine, tellurium and phosphorus.

In anumber of these reactions, novel compounds are produced. Certain of the non- 70 a compound which will act as a solvent for metal, such as silicon and boron, are not attacked by selenium oxychloride.

I have discovered also that selenium oxychloride is a solvent for a number of hydro carbons, while it is not a solvent for others. This enables somevery important separations and purifications to be efi'ected by the use of this material as a solvent. Selenium oxyehloride reacts with unsaturated hydrocarbons such as acetylene, amylene, turpentine, mesitylene, cymene, pseudo cumene, anthracene, napthaleneand diphenylmethyl, and with these unsaturated compounds forms-derivatives. With the saturated hy drocarbons of the aliphatic series itdoes not unite. Forexample, the pure hydrocarbons, pentane, hexane hept-ane, decane, are inmluble and immisci la in this solvent. 1 .Certain other hydrocarbons such as toluol and benzol dissolve readily in selenium oxyehloride. By means of the use of selenium oxychlori-de certain hydrocarbons can be extracted from .various substances, thusenabling se arations and purifications to-be efiected. s an. example I may mention the extraction of impurities including hydrocarbons from char coal or other forms of carbonized substances in accordance with the method set forth in a plication Serial No. 411,258, filed in the nited States Patent Ofiice September 18,-

. In the case-of urification of charcoal, for example, the car 'on'is activated, thus making it a valuable absorbent for gases and li uids.

he solvent may be used, also, for removing carbonaceous material from the c'linders of internal combustion engines. uch deposit usually consists largely of particles of carbon, more or less cemented together with hydrocarbons, such as partially carbonized oils of deposits from oils, including gasoline,'et c.; and SeOCl, alone, or compounded with S0,, for example, will sufficiently dissolve the binder constituents of the carbonized mass to cause the disintegragion thereof and the cleansing of the cyliners. prevent injury to the metal. For example, the selenium oxyehloride maybe diluted with carbon tetrachloride; or, if the solvent be used in undiluted condition, care may be exercised to prevent it from remaining too long in contact with the metal.

, The motor mag A suitable method for removing carbonaceous materlal from the cylinders of an internal combustion e'n 'ine isto introduce the solvent comprising sel eniu'm oxyehloride into the cylinders of the engine in suitable manner, as for example, by pouflfi the solvent into the priming cups, and en turning the motor, without firing the'engine. be turned over by the starter, or by hand, a or a few minutes operation in this manner, the engine may be operated Suitable precautions may be taken to materials or binders ingeneral, including the natural resins, glues (including casein glues), gelatin, celluloid, varnish, lacquer and paints. Selenium oxychlorideand the compoundof selenium oxyehloride mensubstances are also a solvent forresinous tioned; may be employed practically as paint, varnish' and enamel removers.

, I have discovered further that selenium oxyehloride attacks and dissolvesproteins, including wool, silk, hair, bristles, leather,

etc., but reacts in the absence of water very poorly or not at all on starch and cellulose, including wood and. wood pulp. This enables certain separations and purifications "to be efiectedfin connection with this class of materials.

Selenium oxyehloride alone or com-.

pose. elenium oxyehloride is itsel soluble in carbon tetrachloride (C01,) and in chloroform (CHCl,,-). While the power and range of action of selenium oxyehloride may be enhanced or enlarged by the addition of such a compound as sulphur trioxide, the action of the material as a solvent may also be lessened or retarded by the employment of a suitable diluent, such as carbon tetrachloride, or chloroform, used in suitable proportion.

In connection with the discovery that selenium oxyehloride, alone or compounded with a modifying agent is a solvent for numerous hydrocarbons, while it is not a solvent for other hydrocarbons, it may be stated that this peculiarity 'or property renders it possible to separate, for example, unsaturated fromysaturated hydrocarbons. For example, amylene (C H ma be separated from heptane ((LH an heptane may be separated from .benzol (C H Thus a mixture of amylene' and heptane may be introduced into selenium oxyehloride. This will dissolve the amylene, and' purmile, the benzol is simply with the process described in m aeraeao supernatant liquid, which may be decanted. e amylene will unite chemically with the oxychloride. In the case of benzol and hepdissolved and may be recovered by fractional distillation.

Because of the powerful solvent qualities of selenium oxychloride and the still more powerful solvent ualities of selenium ox chloride compoun ed with sulphur trioxi e,

it is desirable that operations with these materials be practiced in vessels composed of, or lined with, such materials as will not be attacked by the solvent. For example, glass or terra cotta vessels, these materials may be employed. In cases or vessels j lined with where the solvent is employed for removing varnish from metal, suitable precautions should be taken to remove the metal from the solvent before the metal is substantially attacked b the solvent. In the case of the removal 0 a coating from wood, less care SeOCl may be obtained in accordance N 0. 381,628, filed in the United ()fliceMa "15, 1920. From t e foregoin' evident that I have tates. Patent description, it will'be iscovered man useful applications of selenium onychlorlde and selenium oxychloride compounded with a modifying agent. The detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construedas application broadly as pa ":4: in view of the prem- 1ses.

' What I re ard as new, anddesire to secure by Letters l atent, is- 1. The method of of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons from each other, which comprises subjecting the same to the action of a solvent comprising selenium ox chloride.

2. The metho of effecting separation of saturated and from .each other the same to the-action of a'solvent comprising selenium oxychloride, and then separatstances.

3. The method of removing cylinders of internal combustion engines, carbonaceous deposits containing hydrocarbons which comprises subjecting such dev 40 effecting the separation unsaturated hydrocarbons which comprises subjecting to ing the solution from the insoluble sub- 1 from the 7 posits to the action of a solvent comprising i selenium oxychloride.

4. The method of removin grease containing hydrocar selenium oxychloride, ing thesame with a iumoxychloride.

5. The method of treating from an object ons soluble in which comprises treata body comprising a substance insolublein selenium oxychloride and a hydrocarbon soluble in selenium oxychloride, which comprises subjecting such body to the action of a solvent comprising selenlum oxychlo'ride, and separating the resulting solution from the insoluble sub stance. a

VICTOR LENHER. I

solvent comprising selen- 

